Short answer: the Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2. It ranks #58 of 89 boombox speakers by sound quality, rated 3.1/5, at $90; the Pioneer PBM5 ranks #89, rated 2.0/5, and costs $149, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2: Under $100 with LED lights synced to music. Watch for: Lacking detail compared to the Onn Large Party Gen 2 and not as deep of bass.
What the Pioneer PBM5 does well: Loud for its size: Williston Audio Labs measured about 105 dB at 2 meters, louder than the Turtlebox Original Gen3 and Kicker Bullfrog BF400 in the same test. The catch: Williston Audio Labs was not impressed with its sound: there is very little bass below 100Hz, and the amplifier’s output has a big dip from 1.6kHz to 10kHz that leaves the upper mids and treble recessed.
Buy the Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Pioneer PBM5 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2 is rated for 20 hours, the Pioneer PBM5 only 13 hours.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2 | Pioneer PBM5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $90 | $149.00 |
| Ranked | #58 of 89 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #89 of 89 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 13 hours at 60% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| FM Tuner | Yes (16 presets) | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | Yes (2 inputs) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Sync Mode) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) | - |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | USB-C or AC Power cord |
| Stereo | No | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| App | No | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (presets + user EQ) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | No | Yes (MP3 only) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W RMS / 200W peak | 300W peak (Manufacturer specified), about 90W measured |
| Dimensions | 9.6” x 10.9” x 15.1” (244.1 x 277.9 x 383 mm) | 8.9”H x 17.4”W x 8.1”D (226 x 442 x 207 mm) |
| Weight | 11 lbs (5 kg) | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) |
| Drivers | 8” (203mm) woofer + tweeters | 2x 133mm (5.25”) woofers + 2x 51mm (2”) tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.4 |
| Guitar Input | - | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | - | 105dB at 2m (measured by Williston Audio Labs) |
| Strap | - | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2:
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2
- JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus vs Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2
- Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2 vs JBL Partybox Encore
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2: $90 Walmart eBay
Pros: Under $100 with LED lights synced to music. Simple controls, solid Bluetooth range. Mic input for karaoke/emcee. Built-in FM radio with 16 presets. Aux port.
Cons: Lacking detail compared to the Onn Large Party Gen 2 and not as deep of bass. Only available in the United States and Canada.
Full Onn Medium Party Speaker Gen 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W RMS / 200W peak |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.6” x 10.9” x 15.1” (244.1 x 277.9 x 383 mm) |
| Drivers | 8” (203mm) woofer + tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| FM Tuner | Yes (16 presets) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Sync Mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 11 lbs (5 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Pioneer PBM5: $149.00 Sam’s Club eBay
Pros: Loud for its size: Williston Audio Labs measured about 105 dB at 2 meters, louder than the Turtlebox Original Gen3 and Kicker Bullfrog BF400 in the same test. Two 5.25 inch woofers and two 2 inch tweeters with a port tuned to 48Hz, two microphone inputs plus a guitar input with bass, treble and reverb controls for the mics, aux and USB playback, IPX5 splash resistance, RGB lights, a shoulder strap, Bluetooth 5.4 with Auracast, and charging from either USB-C or the included AC cord. A rated 13 hours at 60% volume.
Cons: Williston Audio Labs was not impressed with its sound: there is very little bass below 100Hz, and the amplifier’s output has a big dip from 1.6kHz to 10kHz that leaves the upper mids and treble recessed. None of the EQ presets fixed it, and a 1990 JVC boombox sounded cleaner. The amp measured about 90W in total, not the claimed 300W, and only about 23W per woofer channel on battery. USB playback is MP3 only, there is no audio output and no microphone in the box, and it is sold only at Sam’s Club.
Full Pioneer PBM5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 300W peak (Manufacturer specified), about 90W measured |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 13 hours at 60% volume (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 8.9”H x 17.4”W x 8.1”D (226 x 442 x 207 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 133mm (5.25”) woofers + 2x 51mm (2”) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (presets + user EQ) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB at 2m (measured by Williston Audio Labs) |
| Microphone Input | Yes (2 inputs) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C or AC Power cord |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes (MP3 only) |
| Weight | 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons